Forming machines



July 10, 1962 C. B. HUTCHSON FORMING MACHINES Filed Nov. 19, 1959 IN VENTOR United States Patent() 3,043,360 FORMING MACHINES Charles B. Hutchison, Dallas, Tex. Filed Nov. 19, 1959, Ser. No. 854,191 6 Claims. (Cl. 153-46) This invention relates to forming machines and more particularly to a U-bolt bender, and is a continuation-inpart of my co-pending application, Serial No. 612,123, led September 26, 1956 now abandoned.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved U-bolt bender.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved device for bending rods into a U-shape.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device, of the type described, which is adjustable to bend rods of different lengths into a U-shape.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device, of the type described, which is adjustable to bend rods of different thicknesses into a U-shape.

Another object is to provide a device, of the type described, having a stationary sleeve and movable sleeve mounted to follow a circular path about the stationary sleeve whereby a rod disposed between thetwo sleeves is bent into a U-shape when the movable sleeve is moved 180 degrees about the stationary sleeve.

A further object of the invention is to provide a U- bolt bending device having a stationary base portionwith means thereon for receiving and holding stationary one end of an elongate rod to be bent into a U-shape and having a stationary pivot post and sleeve and a movable sleeve mounted to follow a circular path about the stationary sleeve whereby a rod disposed between the two sleeves is bent into a U-shape when the movable sleeve is moved 180 degrees about thestationary sleeve, and wherein the movement of the movable sleeve about the stationary pivot post and sleeve is effected by an elongate arm connected with the movable sleeve and pivoted about a pivot post and stationary sleeve, the movement of the arm at the commencement of the pivotal bending movement thereof being toward the holding means holding the stationary end portion of the rod being bent.

A still further object is to providey a device, of the i type described, wherein the movable sleeve is adjustably mounted with respect to the stationary sleeve whereby the radius of the path of movement of the movable sleeve may be adjusted to compensate for variations in the thickness of the rods which are bent by the device or for variations in the desired radius of bend of the rods.

Another object is to provide a device, of the type described, wherein an adjustable stop is provided to locate properly the rod to be bent with respect to the sleeves.

Still another object is to provide ya thread engaging means lfor threaded ends of the rods` lfor preventing undesired movement of the rods during the bending operation. A

A further object is to provide a device, of the type described, wherein the stationary sleeve is easily replaceable by sleeves of different diameters whereby U-bolts may be formed whose bight portions have dilerent radii of curvature.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be readily apparentV from-'the Vreading of the following description of a device constructed in accordance with ice =FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 1, showing elements of the device and the rod in the positions attained thereby upon completion of the bending operation;

FIGURE 4 is an end view of the device shown in FIGURE 2 taken yfrom the right-hand end of the device as shown in IFIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a-top view of a stationary sleeve of a small diameter and a small rod bent thereby; and,

FIGURE `6 is a top View of a stationary sleeve of large diameter and a large rod bent thereby.

Referring now to the drawings, the U-bolt bender or rod bending device includes a base plate 10 to whose lower side is rigidly secured, as by welding, an angle member 11 by means of which the device may be rigidly clamped or secured, by any suitable means, to a iixed structure such as a work bench.

A bending bracket 12 having a long upper horizontal arm or handle member '13 and a lower horizontal ar-m member 14 connected by a vertical end or base member 15 is pivotally mounted on the 4base plate 10 by means of a bolt or pivot post 17 whose head 1-8 is disposed below the base plate and whose upper threaded end projects above the upper horizontal member 13.

A nut 19 threaded on the upper end of the bolt 17 bears against a washer 20 disposed above the upper member 13, and the nut and washer cooperate to rotatably secure the bending bracket to the base plate. Spacer washers 22 are disposed about the bolt 17 between the top of the base'plate and the bottom of the lower member 14 to position the lower member above the base r late. p It will thus be noted that the bracket has spaced parallel upper and lower arm members and that the bracket member is pivotable about the vertical bolt 17, said bolt providing a pivot post spaced longitudinally of the arm members from the base portion of the bracket. It will also be noted that the upper arm member or handle member 13 extends a substantial distance` horizontally beyond the pivot post 17 to provide an elongate lever by means of which the bracket member may be swung .about the pivot post or bolt.

A stationary sleeve 24 is disposed about the bolt 17 between the upper and lower members of the bending bracket and serves both to hold the upper and lower members properly spaced and to form rods 28 which are the invention, and reference'to the accompanying drawings thereof, wherein:

-FIGURE l is a perspective view of the bending device showing a rod disposed in the device prior to being bent;

bent by the device, as will be described hereinafter.

A slidable frame 30 is slidably mounted on the bending bracket between the upper and lower arm members of the bending bracket and between the vertical base member 15 thereof and the stationary sleeve 24 on the pivot post. The slidable frame includes a pair of side members 31 and 32 which are disposed laterally outwardly o-f the upper and lower arm members of the bending bracket and slidably engage the side edges thereof; a pair of horizontal members 33 and 34 which abut slidably the inner surfaces of the upper and lower arm members 13 and 14, respectivelyof the bending bracket; and a vertical end member 35 disposed parallel to the vertical base member 15 of the bending bracket. The various members of the slidable frame are rigidly secured to one another by welding or in any other'suitable way. It will be apparent that the slidable frame is'slidable toward and away from the stationary sleeve 24 on the pivot posty along the longitudinal horizontal axis of the bending bracket. t

The slidable frame horizontal members have a vertical post 36 rigidly secured therebetween, as by welding, vat one corner of the ends thereof nearest the pivot post 17,

and Ia sleeve 37 is rotatably disposed thereon between the horizontal members. Since the post is located at a corner of the slidable frame, a peripheral portion of the tions. The stop screw is also provided with an operating handle 474- at its outer end.

It will be apparent that the movement of the slidable frame away from the stationary sleeve 24 on the pivot post 17 is limited or restrained by the inner end of the stop screw 40 and that the position yof the slidable frame away from the stationary sleeve and pivot post may be adjusted or varied by rotating the stop screw in one direction or the other. The lock nut 43 may be screwed against the boss 42 to lock the stop screw against further rotation after the stop screw has been rotated to the proper desired position.

A stop supporting bar t) is mounted on the base plate by means of a bolt 51 which extends upwardly through a suitable aperture in the base plate and through a longitudinal slot 52 in the support bar 5i). A washer 53 and nut 54 on the upper end `of the bolt serve to secure the support bar rigidly to the base plate in an adjusted position with respect to the vertical axis of the bolt 51 and with respect to the pivot post 17, it being obvious that the stop bar may be moved arcuately and toward and away from the pivot post due to the provisie-n of the slot 52 therein.

The stop bar has a Vertical plate 56 rigidly secured to the upper surface thereof, as by welding, intermediate the ends thereof. The Vertical plate is provided with a suitable threaded aperture through which extends the threaded shank 57 of a stop 58. Lock nuts 5g and 6i? threaded on the shank 57 serve to lock the shank against rotation or longitudinal movement with respect to the vertical Plate. The stop 58 is adapted to engage one end of a rod 23 extending between the sleeves 24% and 37 to position the rod properly prior to the bending operation so that the rod being bent into U-shape will be fully symmetrical.

A half nut 64 is welded tothe upper end of a stud or bolt 66 which extends downwardly through a suitable aperture in the endof the stop bar 50 remote from the slot 52 thereof, and is secured thereto by a nut 67. A bolt head 68 may be welded to the top of the half nut 64 to facilitate mounting or removal of the bolt 66 on the stop bar. The base plate is provided with a slot 69 to accommodate the nut 67 and the lower end of the bolt 66 on which it is threaded, since they project downwardly below the lower surface of the stop bar which rests on the upper surface of the base plate.

The pivotal or arcuate swinging of the stop bar, and therefore of the half nut 64, in a counterclockwise direction (FIGURE 2) about the bolt 51, is limited by a stop screw 70 which is threaded in appropriate registering bores in a pair of spaced lugs 71 and 72 mounted rigidly, as by welding, on the upper surface of the base plate 10. The outer end of the stop screw 70 is provided with a handle 73 and its inner end bears `against the edge of the stop bar adjacent the half nut 64.

In use, the rod 28 which is to be bent into a U-bolt, and which is provided with threads at each end, is slid between the sleeves 24 and 37 to the position shown in FIGURE 2. The stop bar is then moved toward or away from the sleeves to position the stop in such relation to the end of the rod abutting it that the rod will be properly formed when bent. The stop bar is rigidly secured or `fastened to the base plate by tightening of the nut 54 on the Ibolt 51. The stop 58 is then rotated to achieve a tine adjustment, the movement of the stop bar having eifected a gross adjustment, and the Stop is then locked against further movement by tightening the lock nuts 59 and 66 against the vertical plate 56. The stop screw 70 is rotated to engage the stop bar and prevent its movement in a counterclockwise manner (FIGURE 2) about the bolt 51.

The rod 2S is rotated so Ithat its threads engage the threads of the half nut and are thus safeguarded against mutilation while at the same time the end of the rod engaging the half nut is prevented from moving in a clockwise direction (FIGURE 2) about the pivot post 17.

The stop screw 40 is then rotated to adjust the position of the movable frame 30 in the bending bracket and cause the movable sleeve 37 to engage the rod in the manner shown in FIGURE 2. The stop screw is then locked against rotation by rotation of the lock nut 43 against the boss 42.

The outer free end of the upper horizontal member i3 of the bending bracket 12 is then rotated in a clockwise direction from the position shown in FIGURE 2 to the position shown in FIGURE 3, the movable sleeve 37 moviniT in a semi-circular path about the axis of the pivot post 17 having the stationary sleeve 24 thereon and bending the rod about the stationary sleeve 24 into the U- shape shown. It will be noted that the elongate lever arm provided by the upper horizontal arm member i3 of the bending bracket moves initially toward the stationary portion of the rod held against movement by the half nut 64, so that the lbending action is caused by a compressive force applied to the lever arm formed by such upper arm member. It will also be noted that the upper arm member is disposed above the several stop and holding members which hold the stationary end of the rod against movement so that the lower arm passes over the stop bar 50 and the stop S8 mounted thereon and over the half nut 64 and the adjusting head 68 thereon as it is swung to 'bend the rod.

It will be apparent that if a rod `of larger or shorter length is to be bent, the stop 58 is moved away from or toward the sleeves 24 and 37 either by sliding the stop bar S6 with respect to the base plate or by rotating the stop 58. If a rod of greater or lesser thickness or diameter is to lbe bent, the slidable frame 30 is moved away from or toward the stationary sleeve 24 on the pivot post 17, and the stop screw 40 is then rotated to hold the slidable frame and movable sleeve 37 in such adjusted position against movement away `from the stationary sleeve.

The radius of curvature of the bight portion 8G of the 4formed UJbolt is determined by the outside diameter of the stationary sleeve 24 on the pivot post 17 so that by substituting stationary sleeves of ditferentdiameters, U- bolts may be formed whose radii of curvature are different. For example, the radius of curvature of the bight portion a of the U-bolt 28a shown in FIGURE 5, which is formed about the stationary sleeve 24a, is smaller than the radius of curvature of the bight portion Stil: of the U-bolt 28h Ashown in FIGURE 6, which is formed about a stationary sleeve 2417 whose diameter is great as cornpared to the diameter of the sleeve 24a.

The pivotal mounting of the stop bar 50 about the bolt 51 permits the stop bar to be movedvasrnecessary to accommodate the position of the half nut 64 to the changed bracket rotatable or pivotable vabout a pivot post 17 and` vcarrying a rotatable sleeve which `describes a circular path about the post when the bending bracket is rotated about such pivot posti It will also be seen that the rotatable sleeve is mounted on a `frame 30 slidably mounted on the bending bracket andthat a stop means @is provided for adjustably limiting movement of the slidable frame and the rotatable sleeve from the pivot post i7. it will also be seen that a stop 58 is provided which holds the rods to be lbent in proper longitudinal position between the sleeves; and that another stop, the halt nut 64, is provided which holds one end portion of the rod stationary while the other end portion is moved and bent about the stationary pivot post by the rotatable sleeve. It will also be apparent that stationary sleeves of different outside diameters may be disposed on the pivot post 17, whereby rods may Ibe bent to have different radii ot curvature, the stationary sleeves being readily removable from and replaceable in the post 17 which is in the form of a bolt.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory only, and changes in the details of the construction illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art, within the scope of the appended claims, Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A device of the type described comprising: a base; a pivot post carried by the base; a substantially U-shaped bending bracket having a vertical base portion `and spaced parallel upper and lower horizontal arm members, said parallel arm members being pivotally mounted on said pivot post at a point spaced from said base portion, said upper arm member being of greater length than said lower arm member to form a handle member and extending beyond the post a substantial distance to provide lever means for actuating the bending bracket; a vertical rotatable member carried by the bending bracket between said upper and lower arm members and spaced from said post oppositely from said handle member, said rotatable member moving in a circular path about the post when the bending bracket is pivoted; a stop bar having one end remote from said post pivotally and slidably adjustably secured to said base; a rst stop -means rigidly mounted on the stop bar for engaging one end of a threaded rod which may be disposed between the rotatable member 'and the post to prevent lateral movement thereof when the bending bracket is pivoted about the post; a second stop means carried by the stop bar for positioning the rod longitudinally relative to the post, said rst stop means having partial threads for engaging the threads of t-he rod; and adjustable means engageable with said stop bar for limiting pivotal movement of said stop bar about said one end, said handle member being disposed in a plane above the stop bar and being movable toward said stop bar at the commencement of pivotal movement of the bending bracket and then over said stop bar.

2. The device of claim 1 having a frame mounted on said bracket between said arm members and said post and movable between said vertical base portion of said bracket and said post, said vertical rotatable member being mounted on said frame, and adjusting means secured to said base portion for adjusting the spacing between said frame and said post.

3. A device of the type described comprising: a base; a pivot post carried by the base; a removable sleeve member mounted on said pivot post to provide a stationary forming surface; a substantially U-shaped bending bracket having a vertical base portion and spaced parallel upper Iand lower horizontal arm members, said parallel arm members being pivotally mounted on said pivot post at a point spaced from said base portion, said upper arm member being of greater length than said lower arm member to form a handle member and extending beyond the post a substantial distance to provide lever means for actuating the bending bracket; a vertical rotatable member carried by the bending bracket between said upper and lower arm members and spaced from said post oppositely from said handle member, said rotatable member moving in a circular path about the post when the bending bracket is pivoted; a stop bar having one end remote from said post pivotally and slidably adjustably secured to said base; a first stop means rigidly mounted on the stop bar for engaging one end of a threaded rod which may be disposed between the rotatable member and the post to prevent lateral movement thereof when the bending bracket is pivoted about the post; a second stop means carried by the stop bar for positioning the rod longitudinally relative to the post, said rst stop means having partial threads for engaging the threads of the rod; and adjustable means engageable with said stop bar for limiting pivotal movement of said stop bar about said one end, said handle member being disposed in a plane above the stop bar and being movable toward said stop bar at the commencement of pivotal movement of the bending bracket and then over said stop bar.

4. The device of claim 3 having a frame mounted on said bracket between said arm members and said post and `movable between said vertical base portion of said bracket and said post, said vertical rotatable member being mounted on said frame and having a peripheral portion thereof projecting beyond said frame member toward said pivot post, and adjusting means secured to said base portion for adjusting the spacing between said frame and said post.

5. The device of claim 3 having a frame mounted on said bracket between said arm members and said post :and movable between said vertical base portion of said bracket and said post, said vertical rotatable member being mounted on said frame, said frame having upwardly projecting and downwardly projecting guide means engaging the upper and lower arm members of said bracket for guiding said frame member in its sliding movement between said arm members; and adjusting means secured to said base portion for adjusting the spacing between said frame and said post.

6. The device of claim 3 having a frame mounted on `said bracket between said arm members and said post and movable between said vertical base portion of said bracket and said post, said vertical rotatable member being mounted on said frame and having a peripheral portion thereof projecting beyond said frame member toward said pivot post, said frame having upwardly p rojecting and downwardly projecting guide means engaging the upper and lower arm members of said bracket for guiding said trame member in its sliding movement between said arm members; and adjusting means secured to said base portion for adjusting the spacing between said frame and said post.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 655,259 Miller Aug. 7, 1900 1,167,538 True Ian. 11, 1916 1,265,102 Morris May 7, 1918 y2,430,899 Wallace Nov. 18, 1947 2,492,360 English Dec. 27, 1949 2,502,713 Fagge Apr. 4, 1950 2,510,768 Williamson June 6, 1950 

